Friday, March 31, 2017

I
chose to see this sci-fi film, hoping it would differ from those I have previously
seen and reviewed - despite the fact it was inspired by “Alien” (1979). To my satisfaction it did not
disappoint. But the main reason I found this film exceptional is because it
resonates feasibility. It gives credence to the question of whether or not
there is intelligent life on Mars and if it would prove to be unfriendly.

A
series of events lasting roughly five minutes that led up to the film’s title being
flashed across the screen was enough to capture my attention and held it there
for the entire 103 minutes. It begins with the retrieval of a space probe from Mars
by the ISS (International Space Station) manned by six crew members. Contained
inside the probe, at least temporarily, is a sample from the red planet’s
surface. What ensues is a terrifying experience from an experiment that goes
horribly wrong.

Although
I am not familiar with many of the actors’ names, I did find their performances
compelling. Ariyon Bakare (“Rogue One”) is the first to conduct research and discover
that all is not what it seems when their laboratory methods end up presenting
unforeseen circumstances. His reactions both physically and mentally add to the
mystery and horror of what is about to transpire

Also,
among the six crew members is actor Ryan Reynolds from “Deadpool” whois one of the scientists who find his
hands are full when the specimen proves to be more intelligent than originally
thought. One of the two females on board, Rebecca Ferguson (“The Girl on a Train”) is now the girl on an infected and
doomed spacecraft. Add to this the performance by Oscar nominee
Jake Gyllenhaal and you end up with a good start to a crew that exceeds their boundaries’
as actors.

In what appears to be a “Deadpool” (2016)writer’s reunion, Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick manage to reveal
personal conflict and emotion when the crew members become trapped aboard the ISS with the rapidly-growing organism.
They must find out how to kill it before it manages to escape and decimate
Earth.

Director
Daniel Espinosa (“Child 44”)does a
great job in bringing together the right combination of intense action
sequences to equally compliment the crews’ personality traits. Everything seems
to fit, even the surprise ending. The bottom line: “Life” is good and well
worth seeing.

Friday, March 24, 2017

In
typical fashion Disney Productions has managed to create that magical
experience we always expect. This animated classic takes us beyond the norm of
this classic with a widened mythology, an all-star cast and a new form - it is
a musical. It has been a long wait, as filming was completed by August 27,
2015, more than 18 months before the film's release.

A
young prince, imprisoned in the form of a beast, can be freed only by true
love. What may be his only opportunity arrives, when he meets the only human
girl to ever visit the castle since it was enchanted. Her name is Belle and she
is convincingly played by Emma Watson - who needs no introduction. Her first
appearance in a Disney film, Watson is perfect for this role. Kudos goes to
Casting Director Lucy Bevan, whose credits include “Maleficent”, “The Legend of
Tarzan” and “Alice through the Looking Glass”.

Dan
Stevens, who starred in 2014s “The Guest”, portrays the beast. Writers Stephen
Chbosky (“The Perks of Being a Wallflower”) and Evan Spiliotopoulos
(“The Huntsman: Winters War”) allow
this cursed beast to show his sensitive and humorous side which adds believability
to his character. Couple this with the direction of Director Bill
Condon, 2015s “Mr. Holmes” and what you get is a collaboration and collection
of talented crew members.

Not
to be shunned is the performance of Luke Evans as Gaston. His menacing,
charismatic character was one you couldn’t help but love-to-hate with his
impetuous, contemptuous attempts to win the love of Belle.

Alan Menken, who scored “Beauty and the Beast” (1991), returns
to score this live-action adaptation, which includes new recordings of the
original songs, in addition to new songs written by Menken and Tim Rice. And it all
works, despite that additionally most of the characters in this remake are noticeably
different in appearance than their 1991 counterparts.

Will
it be successful? According to Disney, the first teaser trailer was viewed 91.8
million times in its first 24 hours. This marks the first teaser trailer of
"Beauty and the Beast" to be the most viewed in history by beating
the previous record by “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” (88 million views);
followed by “Captain America: Civil War” (61 million views), each of them
Disney films as well. This version is delightful, funny and well done - just
highly entertaining on every level.

Friday, March 17, 2017

I
have seen countless films since my first one some 45 years ago. In my life, I
have never been so moved, thrilled and captivated by a motion picture than I
was with this one. From the moment “Kong” makes his first appearance less than
two minutes into the film, to the ending two hours later, I could do nothing
but sit in awe at what was happening before me.

Based
on the appearance of his 1933 counterpart, this Kong is the tallest incarnation
in an American film, standing approximately 104 feet tall. Compare this to
Peter Jackson’s Kong released in 2005, who was only 25 feet tall, and what you
get is a larger-than-life beast that fills the screen.

Set
in 1973, a diverse team of scientists, soldiers and adventurers unite to
explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific - as dangerous as it is
beautiful. Both aspects were impressively accomplished with the aid of superb
visual effects from Industrial Light & Magic that includes numerous thought
provoking slow motion sequences.Worth
mentioning, is a 70’s soundtrack that adds a perfect, “Apocalypse Now” feel to
the mood of changing situational environments.

With
a mission of discovery that becomes one of survival, the team must fight to
escape a primal Eden in which humanity does not belong. With a plot that thickens
and then seamlessly gels, Director, Jordan Vogt-Roberts (2013s “Kings of Summer”) left absolutely nothing to the
imagination. Ulterior mission objectives eventually collide, causing raised
stakes for survival from each other, as well as the presence of unknown primal
creatures that inhabit the island.

While
there are seasoned actors immersed in endless action, there are no lead roles
to speak of. Every character has a purpose other than providing dialog. For
this reason, they have been omitted. This is enforced and made evident through
the additional cast of island natives whose intricately placed tribal paint speaks
volumes. An injection of humor, while at times seems a bit corny, actually
works taking the edge off stressful situations.

In
conclusion, this film works on every level. As for a potential sequel - judge
that for yourself. Do not leave the theater until the credits have completed
rolling. The film continues with a one minute scene that takes place in an
interrogation room with actors Brie Larson (Mason Weaver), Tom Hiddleston
(James Conrad) and Mills (Jason Mitchell).

Friday, March 10, 2017

Can
you say “Groundhog Day” (1993) on steroids - with a side injection of “Mean
Girls” (2014)? Seriously, the movie began just the same way. Zoey Deutch as
Samantha Kingston (“Goosebumps” 2015) is one of four mean, teenage girls. She
awakes every day only to discover nothing has changed. No matter what she does
after realizing her fate, she wakes up at the same time, to the same tune
playing on her android device - just reliving the same day over and over.

But
that is where the similarities end. From having everything to having nothing
happens after one fateful night. Kingston wakes up that first time and begins
to question just how perfect her life really is. Trapped, she begins to
untangle the mystery of a life suddenly derailed; at the same time revealing secrets
of the people closest to her. She discovers the power of a single day that can
make a difference, not just in her own life, but in the lives of those around
her. Time is on her side but not for long.

Director
Ry Russo Young (“Nobody Walks” 2012) has taken author Lauren Oliver’s first
person narrative and brought the pages to life. However it is short lived. This
isn’t a bad movie; it is just one that I felt could have been better. While
there were four teenagers involved in the mean girl sub-plot, only two of them
managed to be believable. That was, I think, due to the fact that Halston Sage
and Logan Miller previously worked together in “Scouts Guide to the Zombie
Apocalypse” (2015) where Sage played the older sister to Miller.

There
are moments in the film that I found wasteful but - I never checked my watch so
they are short. The acting was on par for the most part but as always, there
are exceptions. The recipient of the bullying from the mean girls, Juliet, was
portrayed by Elena Kampouris (“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” 2016). Although her
dialog was limited, it was her delivery accompanied by precise body language that
impressed. It actually made me feel sorry for her.

Well
known Jennifer Beals plays Mrs. Kingston; a kind gentle soul with an abundance
of understanding but very low tolerance. Unfortunately it is not enough to give
the film merit. If I should wake up tomorrow and have to see this again I will
be really upset.

Friday, March 3, 2017

With “Logan”finally hitting theaters this weekend, it is important to
understand that Hugh Jackman’s acting capabilities range far beyond that
signature role of the Wolverine which he has owned since the turn of the
century. Amongst his finest performances is “Prisoners”, a 2013 thriller
directed by Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival”, “Sicario”). In this movie, Jackman stars alongside Jake Gyllenhaal and the
pair truly provide top-notch acting throughout this intense who-dun-it story.
Nominated for just one Academy Award (Achievement in Cinematography), “Prisoners”certainly deserved even more
recognition than that and is absolutely one of the most overlooked films of
2013.

Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) is a man
living in rural Pennsylvania. Following a Thanksgiving dinner with family and
friends, his young daughter and her playmate suddenly go missing. As soon as
authorities are notified of the abductions, an investigation is led by
Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal). Over the course of several days, a few
different suspects arise as the search for the girls continues. It doesn’t take
long for Dover to become impatient with the police and he begins to take the
law into his own hands.

“Prisoners”is an incredibly complex movie loaded with many serious themes and
layers. Perhaps more so than anything else, the film raises the very tough
question of: Just how far will we go to protect the ones we love? There are
also some religious undertones present, carefully shown through well-crafted
shots and the thorough characterizations of Dover and Loki. Jackman and
Gyllenhaal deliver, perhaps their strongest performances with the portrayals of
these two morally complicated individuals, providing the driving force for this
movie.

Jackman’s character of Dover,
intensely exemplifies how one can lose grip of their faith and morals when
experiencing a nightmare situation like this; as shown through the extreme
actions he takes during the movie. On the contrary, Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of
Loki illustrates a morality struggle in a different way, as his character feels
the continuing pressure of solving the mystery at hand before it’s too late.

“Prisoners”is a grim movie that delivers its thought-provoking messages
through a pair of outstanding performances. While its dark violence definitely
isn’t for everybody, this film is strung together by an intricate sequence of
suspenseful moments. All of this is topped off by a powerful ending that is not
easily forgotten. “Prisoners”is a
hidden gem that is well worth a viewing for anybody who hasn’t seen it.